Together
by HecateA
Summary: Together is enough to make anybody optimistic, even people starring at reality. Oneshot.


**Hi! This is dedicated to IceLumos963 because she/he (I'm sorry I don't know) won a contest I put up. So here is your reward! ****Also happy birthday wishes to Chubychicken while I am here.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own the characters portrayed below.**

**Dedication: IceLumos963**

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**Together**

Due to the storm brewing outside, New York City was as close to lockdown mode as it got without the authorities ordering it. The Empire State building's lobby wasn't empty though, except these people weren't tourists. One was a man trying to wrap his mind around reality, five were slumped down on the chairs, one was jittery, and the last one was pacing around the lobby like a caged animal- rather unusual for the normally calm Sally Jackson.

"Sally, sit down." Paul said, though it sounded more like a question. He'd been trying for a while now. Biting her thumb in worry, Sally shook her head and kept pacing.

Frederic was muttering facts to himself to try and keep his sanity in check.

"Even the doorman's gone. Tristan saw something when he was outside last, they have to be on Olympus. Any time now."

Tristan himself was staring at the elevator, digesting most of the shocking news Paul, Sally and Frederic had delivered earlier.

Esperanza sat in the corner and tapped on her lap in a pattern that sounded like Morse code, though nobody asked. Despite how curious the new arrivals were –especially considering they were dead- now wasn't a time for fascination or curiosity. Emily had unzipped her desert camouflage jacket and stripped to a t-shirt, revealing a bloodstain on her lower back and side, and was walking around restlessly, snapping her fingers and scratching the insides of her palms and rubbing her fingers together anxiously. The two Maries were sitting as far away from each other as possible, and Marie was shooting Maria looks.

Paul tried to get Sally to sit down or get some fresh air again but she refused. Anytime now that elevator would ding. Anytime now the doors would slide open. Anytime now her son would come out safely and she would be able to hold him for the first time in _so long… _

She sighed. Paul wrapped an arm around her waist.

"There is no way Percy's going to come out of there with a single scratch," Paul said. "He'll just be happy to see you."

Sally tried to nod in agreement.

They waited another two hours in the humid lobby where the air was thick and static and nervous. Finally the doors opened. It was a flurry of purple and orange shirts, light flashing off of armour and squeals and excited sounds that the demigods poured out of the elevator and into the arms of their mortal parents. Sally realised after a moment that she was standing alone. It was a bit of a shock. Then she saw two figures that had that kind of glow around them, like angels in medieval paintings- which was something she was used to seeing and had grown to associate with immortals. She easily recognised one, and the second wasn't hard to identify with her grey eyes and the way she held herself.

"Oh god," Sally whispered under her breath. She ran towards them and Frederic Chase was shouldering her next thing she knew.

"Where's Annabeth?" Frederic asked. He registered Sally and his eyebrows creased furthermore, as did hers. "_And _Percy?"

"It's a very complicated tale," the serious and serene woman who could be no one but Athena said. "I suggest we take you to Olympus so you can hear it in a more private location."

"Oh god," Sally said again. "But wait- they're both not here right? They're both together right now?"

Poseidon and Athena glanced at each other for a second. Contrary to myth and many rants she'd heard, they didn't look like enemies or even unpleasant acquaintances. They looked like two people in the same boat, that boat being the Titanic by the looks of it.

"Yes," Poseidon said. Sally didn't register the caution in his voice.

"Oh," Sally said. She laughed nervously. "Well then they're okay right. They get each other out of everything, they're always okay when they're together." She relaxed.

Percy's first quest would have been a disaster without Annabeth's knowledge, logic and training. Annabeth would have broken down in the labyrinth a thousand times without Percy there. He would never have made it out of the sea of monsters alive without her. She'd have been caught under the weight of the sky until it crushed her if Percy hadn't come for her while nobody else would risk it. The Battle of Manhattan wouldn't have gone anywhere without Annabeth being Percy's strategic advisor, or at least nowhere good. He'd have been killed by dodge balls and she by a sphinx if they'd have been alone. Not to mention all the times where they needed each other for things other than survival- math tutoring, mental health breaks from stressful classes, comparing notes on monsters that just kept popping up in the state, motivation, a good laugh, being put in their places, affection… Percy and Annabeth were a team. Together they were always okay.

"Oh thank the gods," Frederic sighed in relief. "So where are they? At Camp already? In an infirmary somewhere?"

"No you don't understand," Poseidon said. "They died in battle together."

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**So I've been thinking this oneshot over for a while because I think that a very common trail of thought in the PJO fandom is that since Percy and Annabeth are together they can do anything. I do share that mind frame to an extent -I mean, they both need more to each other to live (which is a healthy relationship after all), and sometimes odds suck. **


End file.
